This dissertation investigated how parents' mental health impacts parental involvement. Utilizing a multi-model system of multivariate regression models, this study investigated the predictive power of anxiety and depression variables on parental encouragement and parental reinforcement. The nuanced findings revealed that, in the context of…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to discover the parents' perceptions of the impact of their parental engagement for at-risk middle school African American males on their academic success. The problem being addressed was the lack of parental involvement for middle school African American male students in a rural school district in a…

This study aimed to shed light on the attributes of parents who advocate fiercely for inclusion and how these attributes impact education placement. Questions guiding this study were: What are the distinctive attributes of parents of children with multiple support needs that equip them to advocate for inclusive education settings? How do parents…

The purpose of this study was to examine Latino parent perspectives on parent engagement at the junior high level, focusing on experiences both at home and at school. Qualitative data was gathered from Latino parents of junior high students in Texas through bilingual focus groups and individual interviews. Themes synthesized from participant…

Math anxiety impedes people from working to their fullest potential (Hyman et al., 2015; Retanel et al., 2021) and impacts people of all ages, including both children and adults (Oh et al., 2022; SzczygieL, 2020). The influence parents' math anxiety has on children is also impactful on the children's own development of math anxiety or negative…

This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of parents with children in public schools in Northern Colorado, addressing a gap in the understanding of parent-school partnerships within the educational context. The problem was parents must navigate complex public school systems in Northern Colorado. This issue underscored…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how parents of children diagnosed with DDX3X Syndrome and school professionals serving on special education teams in the United States describe collaboration. The collaborative process was investigated through three sub-questions regarding relationship building, shared values, and…

Students benefit greatly form strong partnerships among parents, schools, and communities (Epstein, 2008). Epstein (1995, 2008) categorized parental involvement into six types: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community. However, the schools have not established the opportunities…

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact technology, specifically the Student Information System's (SIS) parent portal has on parent involvement in K-12 education. Parents who participated in the study were asked questions in the fields of special education; social economic status; parent workshops; use of technology, including the…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how parents of special education students describe their role in the prevention of bullying in elementary schools in the Northeast region of the United States. This study included 41 parents of special education students in kindergarten through fifth grade in the Northeast region of…

All children in the United States have a right to effective education. While an optimal learning environment is important for all students, children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to barriers to accessing high-quality learning environments. Many parents of children receiving special education services want to be strong advocates for…

This study investigates the material-discursive contexts available for lactation-pumping--amongst U.S. teachers who wish to continue nursing [a] child(ren) upon returning full-time to the classroom. Guided by critical feminist methodologies, I conducted interviews and focus groups with 11 teacher-parents who chose to lactate or nurse their infants…

This qualitative descriptive study delved into how parents of Pre-Kindergarten through fifth-grade students in Title I schools in a Southeastern state perceive parental involvement, communication, and support for the home literacy environment. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Epstein's Model of Parental Involvement as…

Parental tolerance has previously been defined as the function of how annoyed a parent becomes by their child's defiant or disruptive behavior. However, there has been little research on parental tolerance as a construct and its relationships with other potentially theoretically related constructs, such as parenting style and parent report of…

Parent engagement in middle school has the potential to yield positive effects on the academic success of students and contribute to a growth in a feeling of self-worth. Parents want the best for their children and based on their own experiences, they do what they can to support their children in school and beyond. This study examined the stories…